


Can't Buy Me Love

by TealPiccata



Series: Fun-canon [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening, Genei Ibun Roku #FE | Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: AU, Family Fluff, Headcanon, also some unsubtle FE character references in tokyo, just redheaded ponytailed backflippers being family, some background character mentions
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-02-16 10:54:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18690058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TealPiccata/pseuds/TealPiccata
Summary: A weird headcanon of Kasumi’s mom being the Hee Ho Mart clerk, and in turn the Hee Ho Mart clerk being the Anna from Fire Emblem Awakening: a self-indulgent anthology.





	1. Extended Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna finishes work late and picks up Kasumi from gymnastics.

_This is unbelievable_ , Anna thinks to herself as she almost rips off her blue and white Hee Ho Mart uniform shirt, surprising the other clerk redressing for the shift change. Today had been an absolutely bizarre day: it wasn’t the punk-looking student coming in to buy at least ten of each food item, they did that on the regular; no, it was the second Anna that started working at the store. Wearing purple and black along with a mask, this Anna seemed more like a mascot, adding _hees_ and _hos_ to her sentences. For whatever reason, she was selling completely different stock than the store normally does, forcing Anna to have to cordon off that corner. “I’m really sorry-ho! Hee-’gain, I got transferred here by management!” the Masked Anna said before her counterpart went into the backroom.

 

Thankfully, it seemed their service areas didn’t overlap too much further than what she experienced today. Tugging a black shirt over her head and pulling on her red coat, sticking with the white pants of her uniform, she stretched her arms above her head before lowering them to check the time, only to see she was half an hour past when she usually left. “Oh no, I’m late for picking up Kasumi!” she muttered to herself, heaving her bag onto her shoulder as she bolted out of the backroom.

 

“See you later-ho!” she heard from behind her as she exited the empty store. Oh, she was gonna hate hearing those verbal tics in the days to come.

 

The red-haired woman sprinted down the side roads away from Shibuya, only stopping for crosswalks. Despite it being years since she did anything nearly as strenuous, her breathing was steady, and the usually heavy bag felt like nothing to her (she had to thank all the marching she did before having Kasumi). As soon as the light indicated she could cross, she bolted across the street and continued her way, passing progressively shorter buildings until she was in the middle of a residential area.

 

Kasumi’s primary school was a small one despite being in Tokyo, yet despite its size, it still had respectably-sized facilities to host an after-school gymnastics program, among others, perfect for keeping her occupied on campus while Anna finished off work. Much to her relief, her daughter absolutely loved gymnastics, even telling her mother that she “wanted to be as flexible as teacher”. Entering the gymnasium, she saw other parents picking up the last few kids. The instructor, Sayori Amari, with her jet-black hair and white headband, was packing the last few things into her bag when she caught sight of Anna. “Ah, Miss Yoshizawa!” she exclaimed, running up to greet her. “Did work keep you?”

 

“It did,” she said worriedly. “I’m so sorry if Kasumi was any trouble.”

 

“Nay, your little girl is surprisingly efficient with her time,” Sayori returned, tucking a bit of hair behind an ear. “She got a little extra training in.”

 

“Really?” Anna looked around the room, trying to find her daughter. “Where is she—”

 

“Mama!” a voice interjected, grabbing the older woman’s attention. In the doorway was a red-haired girl, ponytail neatly tied with a scarlet ribbon. With a water bottle in hand, she bounced her way until she was right by her mother, who proceeded to swoop her into a hug.

 

“How’s my little pepper?” she asked the girl, causing her to laugh.

 

“Mama, that’s embarrassing!”

 

Anna slowly lowered Kasumi’s feet to the floor, letting go only to pat her on the head. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

 

She shook her head, swinging her ponytail. “It’s okay, I got to play a little more!”

 

“Miss Amani told me!” Her eyes glanced over to catch said woman smiling at parent and child. “Sounds like you want me to be late more often.”

 

Kasumi’s face flashed surprise, then she looked at her feet. “... Maybe.”

 

The sudden meekness only brought out a chuckle from her mother, who proceeded to offer her hand, which Kasumi quickly took. “Thank you for watching her as usual, Miss Amari.”

 

“Fie, it’s either me or Renrei, and Renrei’s too busy with the kendo club,” Sayori said bowing her head slightly. “I’ll see you two tomorrow?”

* * *

 

“So, Miss Amani taught you some more tricks?” Anna asked her daughter, letting their joined hands swing as they made their way home.

 

“Yes she did! I’ve said it a hundred times!” Kasumi answered, still excitedly as the first time.

 

Anna brought a hand to her chin. “I think you’ve only said it twelve times, Kassy,” she drawled, getting a groan out of her daughter. “Hey, how about I make gyūdon for dinner?”

 

Upon hearing this, Kasumi’s face lit up. “Are you gonna make lots?”

 

“I’ll make as much as you want!”

 

“Can I have it for lunch tomorrow, too?” she asked, practically drooling.

 

Anna hummed softly, pretending to think about it. “I might pack you a big gyūdon tomorrow.”

 

“Really?!”

 

“Yes!” she returned, joining her daughter’s following laughter.

  
By the time they reached the small apartment complex, their unit on the second floor, Kasumi was bouncing in excitement; how fortunate that gyūdon was easy to make and quick to cook. As the rice cooker worked, Anna thinly sliced the onions and beef to dump it into the simmering broth. At the dinner table, Kasumi focused on getting her homework done as quickly as possible so she could just eat and play later. Anna smiled contently. _This… This isn’t so bad_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Sayori Amani is supposed to be an unsubtle reference to Say’ri. Renrei was supposed to be Yen’fey, but that kind of got lost since a blatant "my brother" mention didn't feel right.
> 
> And, yes, Little Kasumi is a big eater too, and Anna spoils her so.


	2. A Sudden Blossoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Morgan’s amnesia, Anna inquires Lucina, who speaks too freely about the past.

Finding Morgan in the Ruins of Time had been a shock to the merchant; after marrying Robin only a few months prior, she had fully expected to continue the Anna line, teaching them the trade of buying and selling, and perhaps also naming them Anna until she ran into another Anna whose daughter was named Kana. Instead, Morgan was a tactician through and through, and, despite the amnesia regarding everything but her father, the only thing that could even be linked to her mother was her strongarming Inigo into paying for her lunch earlier that day, which wasn’t saying much when Cordelia’s daughter could do the same by batting the poor boy with a sword sheath. Morgan had a beautiful scarlet head of hair, she had a devious flare and the testimonies of parentage from the time travelers, but at the end of the day she was just daddy’s girl.

 

“Everything will come back to her someday,” Robin soothed out to his wife, rubbing her back as they sat at the bed of their shared room at the inn the Shepherds had stopped at. “And we could always make new memories, she’d love to know more about you.”

 

While Anna had been slightly comforted, seeing Morgan act the way she had concerned her: she was reckless with her weapons, breaking them before the enemy went down, and she even dropped a crate of tomes and messily threw the contents back in without checking if anything was damaged. She held back a sigh.

 

“I’m sure things will be fine, but everytime I look at her, I wonder ‘where was I in her time?’” she returned, her shoulder drooping further. “She can barely read a price tag.”

 

“You know how the future was like for those kids, maybe you didn’t get around to teaching her?”

 

She shook her head immediately. “It’s in our blood, Robin. When I was half her age, I was already bargaining for sweets from candymakers. Today, she almost immediately agreed to the innkeeper’s ridiculous rates! That’s unthinkable in my family!” she cried, causing the tactician to stop his comforting backrub. She could feel the tears threaten to push themselves out. “Did I do something wrong when she was growing up?”

 

They sat in silence until he resumed the rub. “I can’t say I know what will happen in the future, but maybe something happened where we didn’t want her to be an Anna,” he said, pulling her in to lean against him. “I promised we’ll do something with Morgan tomorrow afternoon, and I won’t break that to her, so can I ask that you don’t open the shop tent in the morning and speak to Lucina?”

 

Her eyes shot toward Robin, who only returned a soft smile. “Huh? Speak to her? About what?”

 

“Just what she remembers about Morgan.” He briefly closed his eyes in thought. “She can be a bit restrictive about details from her time, but I’m sure she can sympathize with what you’re feeling.”

 

Anna was quiet for a time, thinking it over. On one hand, she might learn she was a good parent to the girl and ease her fears. On the other, it could end up putting blinders on her and forcing her to act that way for Morgan’s sake or, worse, turn out she was an absolutely horrible mother. But, curiosity got the better of her.

 

“Alright, I’ll speak with her in the morning.”

* * *

It felt bizarre not being woken up early; before being wed, she would’ve been a cranky bird in the hours before the merchant tent opened, and after marrying Robin he went through the effort of slowly easing her into consciousness despite his routine starting even earlier. Even with a full night’s sleep and all the time in the world to wake up, she had the jitters, but this time it was towards having a chat with the future princess.

 

Tucking into her normal attire, sans cloak, she made her way out of the inn and passed by the makeshift sparring circles in the gravel as Sully proceeded to take out Stahl’s feet from under him with the haft of her spear. She spotted the tiara-decorated cerulean head of Lucina in the distance picking up and observing the oranges at a fruit harvester’s stand, seemingly running her thumbnails along the skin. She caught onto the stony crunch of the merchant’s feet, turning her head in Anna’s direction.

 

“Lady Anna,” she greeted, with a soft smile on her face. “It seems you’ve slept in.”

 

“Yeah, I’m taking it easy, y’know,” she quickly returned, unsubtly swallowing the lump in her throat. “Still reeling from Morgan.”

 

“Yes, she can be a bit much, admittedly.”

 

 _Here goes_ , she thought to herself. “Well, I wanted to talk. About Morgan, I mean.”

 

Lucina had been caught off guard, as she was now looking at Anna with wide eyes. “You want to talk about Morgan? With me?”

 

“I don’t know much about her, and she doesn’t know much about me, so I figured you must have some semblance of how we were together, so that we have something to start with.”

 

The princess’ lips pursed slightly at this. “I don’t want to risk influencing you, Lady Anna,” she lamely said before straightening her back, resolve glinting in her eyes. “But, if it’ll help you, then I will divulge those details, as best as I can.”

 

“You will?!” she blurted out before reining herself back in. “I mean, we can do this over tea, if you’d like.”

* * *

Lucina had been nursing a cup of tea in her ungloved hands for a good minute, wondering where exactly to start, Anna’s notion of “say anything” not doing her any favors. She raised the warm ceramic to her lip and took a slow sip. _Perhaps the deep end will do_. “You were actually the one that taught her everything she knows.”

 

Anna was taken aback immediately, looking at the girl with wide eyes. “I did?”

 

She took a small drawl from her cup. “Well, Sir Robin devised a special curriculum for her to go through, which you would oversee.” Another sip. “I remember the two of you wanted her to be diverse in her education, but she wouldn’t participate in the regular lessons because she’d insist she wanted to learn from ‘the best’, you two. He was busy with grandmaster duties, so he adapted it so that you could still teach it to her without needing the proper facilities, although he may have added an extra strategy course.” She saw Anna roll her eyes. “Still, she’d always finish her lessons early, so you’d close up the shop and bring her to the castle.”

 

Relief washed over the merchant, a warm smile forming on her face, which Lucina couldn’t help but return. _I let her be what she wanted to be_. “So I’d take her to the castle? To play with you?”

 

Lucina eagerly nodded. “Yes, and we wouldn’t even be done with our lessons when she arrived sometimes,” she answered, a joyous tone overtaking her words. “She would be so excited, she’d even offer to do our schoolwork for us if it meant we could play together sooner, but the tutors wouldn’t have it.” She took another sip. “Although, there was one day where I noticed she wasn’t quite herself.” A pause. “It was soon after Cynthia was born.” The silence, only interrupted with the faint noise from Lucina’s practiced tea drinking, felt heavy for both women. “I would still play with Morgan, but when father and mother invited her to see the baby, it did something.”

 

“Would a baby really do that to her, though? She seems so cheerful,” Anna returned, looking into her own cup.

 

“Perhaps for a few days, but I do recall Morgan coming in one day and telling Cynthia she wouldn’t be alone,” Lucina comfortably rolled out before stiffening up, which the older woman caught onto.

 

“What do you mean ‘wouldn’t be alone?’” she asked with furrowed eyebrows, skeptical at the recollection.

 

“Well, what I meant to say was that she was herself again,” Lucina lulled out, the shaky grip on her cup betraying her mental state.

 

Anna was even more suspicious. “Okay, then what made her herself again, Lucina?” she returned, putting heavy emphasis on the princess’ name. _And now she’s biting her lip_.

 

“You—” _I’m in for it now_ , she thought to herself as she resisted shrinking under the merchant’s gaze. “You have a second child, Lady Anna.” _I’m really in for it now_. “Morgan has a sister.”

* * *

By the time dinner finished, Morgan had gone off to her room to finish up studying her newest tome, leaving her parents to clean up after. Reaching over the table to grab a spoon and place it on a plate, Robin paused and looked up at his wife. “I forgot to ask, but did you get to talk to Lucina?”

 

“I did,” she chirped as she gathered the filthy dinnerware.

 

“Someone sounds happy about that.”

 

She dumped the plates and silverware into a soapy bucket. “Oh, I am. Would you like to hear?”

 

An amused smile formed on his face. “Aaand something tells me you want me to sit down for this.”

 

“Well, you could do that, or continue standing there and potentially falling flat on your rear.” She watched him promptly pull a chair back out and sit in it. “Morgan was right when she says you taught her, but apparently you only made the lessons, I actually sat her down for them.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yup!” She remained standing behind a chair, letting her arms rest on top of its back, as her cheery expression relaxed into a more serene tone. “And apparently she’s a big sister.”

 

Robin was caught off guard. “W-we have a second child?” Anna nodded. “What’s her name?”

 

“Kasumi,” she answered, letting her smile grow as she met his eyes. “Apparently Lon’qu suggested it. Something about how you’d always give me flowers. He’s subtle, that one.”

 

“Is it a name from Chon’sin?”

 

“I think? According to Lucina, he never told us how to spell it.”

 

“And how is she like?”

 

She let out a sigh. “She doesn’t know. She was a baby when Grima took over, and when Morgan disappeared first, Kasumi and I followed after.”

 

Robin’s expression became distraught. “So… She’s lost?” Anna shook her head. “No?”

 

“Lucina thinks if Morgan can come back here, somehow, then there’s a chance that Kasumi and her Anna are still out there.”

 

Robin simply nodded at that. “And do you think that, too?”

 

“I do.”

 

A silence came over them before Robin got up from his seat. “Then I’ll believe so too.”

* * *

Tucking into bed, Anna rested her head against Robin’s shoulder. “I hope we can meet her someday. Both the Kasumi from that time and this timeline.”

 

“I think Morgan would like that, both of them,” he returned, pulling her close, before letting a snicker come out. “That way, Cynthia won’t be alone.”

 

"You can’t say that!” she shouted as she slapped his chest, only for the tactician to belt out a hearty chortle. Sometimes, perspective could be the absolute worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The FE:A tie-in came together earlier than I planned, although it's more me just saying "Kasumi's dad is Robin and Morgan's her sister". Very Anna-centric here.
> 
> There's also Lucina testing the orange skin for rind-munching like her father. Also, sorry for the sibling mention if that's not your thing; I'll probably make a gag out of it by mentioning a different possible sibling every time it comes up.


	3. Rain Check (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thirteen years since showing up in Tokyo, Kasumi learns about her family.

“I’m not working Saturday?” Anna asked incredulously to her darker-clotherd counterpart. “What about my hours—”

 

“Hee-don’t worry about that!” she belted out, letting her index fingers bounce to her sentence. “The big Anna said she’ll compensate-ho!”

 

“That doesn’t answer my question,” she muttered to herself, dumbfounded by the situation.

 

The Black Frost-masked clerk tapped her chin. “She told me-ho you’ve got family coming.”

 

“Wait, what do you—”

 

“Your daughter’s got a sister, right-ho?”

 

“Are you saying—”

 

“A little re-ho-union!” she exploded, throwing melmarks everywhere, causing a single media producer in the store to stare at the two incredulously. By the time he had unsubtly snuck out, Anna Yoshizawa was leaning against the counter, trying to regain her bearings.

 

“M-Morgan,” she said in a small voice, bringing a hand to her collar bones as her mouth began to curl into a smile. “She’s alive?”

 

“Yes-ho!” The Black Frost Anna was crouched on the floor picking up the scattered tickets, digging fingers into corners and under edges.

 

The idea of meeting her daughter again after years brought joy to her heart. In her mind, she ran ideas of catching up over dinner, Anna and Morgan recounting stories, and seeing Kasumi agai—

 

_ Wait, Kasumi doesn’t know about Morgan at all _ , she thought, bringing a finger to her chin.  _ I’m gonna have to break it to her _ .

* * *

 

Kasumi was finished with Shujin, with gymnastics practice having ended early, so it came as a surprise to see the lights were on at the apartment.  _ Mom finished work early _ , she thought to herself as she unlocked the door. To her surprise, she saw a giant black suit bag laid out on the dining table, a few leather-covered books with golden inlaid emblems peeking out from under the dust, and what looked like a pole wrapped in fabric, with it jutting about eight inches from one end. “What’s all this?” she asked to herself, walking up to the fabric and putting fingers on it, as if to reveal it.

 

“Whoa, hey, Kasumi! You’re home already!” She quickly turned around to see her mother walking in with a ratty-looking leather bag slung over her shoulder. “... I’m sure you’re wondering about the mess,” she sheepishly said, her head lowering.

 

“I am, mama,” she returned, her eyes flicking back at the assembled stuff on the table. “What’s all this for, anyways?”

 

Anna swung the bag from her shoulder onto a chair before going to lean against its back with her forearms. “Well, we’re actually expecting family tomorrow.”

 

“Huh. So, this is for them? I guess of all people you’d unload some dusty stuff, it’d be—”

 

“Actually, this is for you,” she answered, only to be met with a deafening silence. “I mean, I’m not giving these to you, I’m showing them to you.” Another pause. “This is storytime, Kasumi.”

 

The teenager only blinked, but went to sit in one of the chairs. “Okay, mama, I’m ready.” She watched the older woman reach the top of the suit bag and unzip it, slowly revealing a bright red and yellow outfit.  _ I’m so not ready _ .

 

Anna caught the confused expression on her daughter’s face and paused the unzipping. “You know how I’ve said we moved here?” She watched Kasumi nod. “Well, we… We moved here from another world.”

* * *

 

Kasumi had almost been ready to write this off as a flight of fancy, especially with the almost-drawn out describing of the “Anna line, with an Anna before each and every one all buying and selling” in full detail (she had lost track after the ninth possible way of pronouncing Anna).

 

Then came the leather-bound books, or magical tomes as her mother put it.

 

“I wasn’t the best mage, y’know,” she said as she flipped the book open, running fingers on the old pages. “Oh, this takes me back.”

 

After a quick mouthing and a snap, a flame formed in her right hand, but not before igniting the released dust and creating a quick ball of heat and light.

 

“What—Mama!?” Kasumi yelled in confused response. “You better not be joking!”

 

Anna took on an offended look. “I’m not, I promise you!” She proceeded to snap a few more times, a new flame appearing above her fingers until the page in the tome disappeared. “See?”

 

Her daughter was now even more confused; seeing her mother conjure fire at her fingertips, watching a page literally disappear before her eyes, and the way her mother had talked about her family line in intimate detail, and yet she couldn’t bring herself to believe. “I don’t get it,” she admitted in a small voice, hints of distress coming through. “Why did we move here? Was it because I wasn’t like you or the other Annas?”

 

Anna caught onto her worry quick, moving a chair close and sitting next to her. “No, no,” she soothed, putting her arm across her daughter’s shoulders and pulling her close. “It’s not because of that, Kassy.” She paused, sucking in a breath. “It was to save you.”

 

“Save me?”

 

There was a silence until Anna cleared her throat, beginning to rub the girl’s shoulder. “You’re gonna have to suspend your disbelief, can I ask that of you?” Kasumi nodded. “Thank you.”

 

Her mother started at the beginning, at least to when Kasumi was born, and how everyone cared for her, especially her big sister—

 

“Morgan?”

 

“Yeah, she was a rambunctious little one the last time I saw her,” Anna said, wiping her eyes with the back of a hand.

* * *

 

Kasumi had barely started walking when the Shepherds were assembled to go to Plegia for negotiations. “Let me come with you, Robin!” she yelled, tugging at his sleeve.

 

It took all of his willpower to wrench her arm off. “Anna, Kasumi’s still too young. She needs one of us, and I have to be by Chrom.”

 

“T-then, she can come with—”

 

“Absolutely not,” he said with finality. He closed his eyes to push out the tears clouding his sight. “The queen will still be here. She’s supposed to have runners so she can communicate with Chrom. I promise to send a message back with them every day of the trip.” He took her hand and brought it his chest. “I promise that life will be better for you, for Morgan, and for Kasumi. I need to do this.”

 

She pushed herself towards him, feeling one of his arms rest on her back. “Alright,” she said in a small voice. “I’ll hold you to that.”

 

“Of course.”

* * *

 

When the runners stopped coming, Anna knew something was wrong. In the following days, the skies darkened, the air grew colder, and whispers started floating around the city. When the castle staff and the city guard couldn’t locate Morgan after some vagrant sorcerers had caused a racket by the walls, she knew the worst had come. Packing what she could, she snuck out of the city with Kasumi close to her chest, only to freeze at the expansive line of dark figures at the horizon. “I’m sorry Morgan, Robin,” she muttered to herself as she booked it for the Outrealm gates.

* * *

 

“And thus brings us here,” Anna said with a sniffle, wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks.

 

“And you never told me because it hurts you, right, mama?”

 

Her mother shook her head. “Well, I never told you because there was no reason to, I thought.”

 

“But then Auntie Frostie told you Morgan was coming?”

 

“Yes, because Auntie Frost—” Anna straightened up immediately. “I told you not to call that masked maniac your aunt!”

 

“What? Why not? She tells awesome stories!”

 

“No she doesn’t! Mirages? The Chrom I knew was not some creepy sword ghost, no ma’am!”

 

“I mean, the idolaspheres were an awesome setting,” Kasumi said in a small voice, hoping her mother didn’t catch it. Her eyes darted around in the middle of the rambling, catching onto the colorful outfit in the bag. “Wait, don’t tell me you were marching around in that?”

 

“This?” Anna pulled the bag closer to the edge. “Of course I wore this!”

 

“You fought in an army dressed up as Ronald McDonald?”

 

Her mother merely shrugged. “I was a trickster, it came with the job, and trust me when I say it looks better being worn.” She unzipped it further, the opening now large enough to pull the outfit from the bag as she rose from her seat. “Plus, you should’ve seen Chrom, he tore off the sleeves on all of his tops.”

 

“Please don’t actually wear that,” Kasumi said with much futility as her mother bounced to her room.

* * *

 

“It’s… Actually not bad.” 

 

It had been a long time since Anna had wore her trickster garb and, while it was perhaps a smidge tight in a few places, particularly her hips, overall it fit her like a glove. Even the curled toe heeled boots hugged her feet just right. “Ooh, this takes me back,” she said as she grabbed the ends of her cloak and twirled, letting go to have the fabric follow her turn. She walked up to the bundled fabric still on the table and began unraveling it until the gleam of metal, the source of the protrusions, revealed themselves.

 

“Wait, that’s a sword!” Kasumi exclaimed as her mother brought the weapon to her belt, the bear charm on its pommel bouncing. The girl’s eyes darted for possible exits as Anna unsheathed the blade and performed a few slashes in the air where she stood before quickly putting it away.

 

“It’s time to slash some brigands—and some prices!” The two stood in silence until Anna brought a finger to her chin. “This… This was embarrassing.”

 

Kasumi had wrenched her fingers onto her kneecaps to stop the jitters. “More like horrifying. If you started with that, maybe, just maybe, I might’ve believed you with your Anna bloodline talk, mom.”

 

“I think if I started with this I would’ve felt so silly I wouldn’t even continue,” her mother returned, putting the sword back into its cloth wrap and quickly wrapping it. “I think I’ll just change back.”

* * *

 

“So, another Anna’s giving you time off for Morgan?” Kasumi asked as she brought some pork and rice into her mouth.

 

“I’m going to make sure she, and anyone else if they’re joining her, are settled in here for however long they’re staying. You’re coming home at dinnertime tomorrow, right?”

 

She hummed as she swallowed down some of her food. “I don’t have to attend practice, I could probably come home right after school.” Kasumi put her bowl and chopsticks down. “I’d just really like to meet her; see if I remember her, see if she remembers me, y’know?”

 

“Well, there’s a first time for everything, Kassy.” She put a single piece of pickled radish in her daughter’s bowl, causing the girl’s brow to furrow. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you trying to discount the veggies tonight, though.

 

Kasumi groaned; it was back to business as usual ‘till tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was meant as a prelude to a Morgan-centric one I've planned, but this turned out way more in-depth.


	4. Rain Check (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outrealm traveling goes slightly awry for Morgan’s birthday; thankfully, a certain someone shows up to help them out.

“You know, you three wouldn’t be getting so many odd looks if you’d just take those cloaks off.” Robin, Anna, and Morgan had been stock-still in the middle of an emptied circle, murmurs coming from the people around, while a similarly red-haired woman, in a crimson windsor coat, approached them. “Are you three just gonna stand there, or do you want me to drag you away?”

 

It had been a normal day for the time-displaced family. Morgan had gotten wind of “something exciting” in the outrealms from one of her mother’s sisters, using any free time the month before to plan it. Robin had his suspicions, since nothing was quite concrete, and Morgan refusing to say anything other than “I’ve gotta see it!”, but Anna had assured him that if it was Morgan’s aunt having suggested it, it had to be something good.

 

That said, the trio had not expected to land in the middle of a concrete jungle.

 

By the time the three had gotten their bearings together, they were watching a long red ponytail bounce as the woman in front of them was hunched over a bench, neatly folding each and every one of their cloaks. Once she had finished, she almost leaped up to standing and approached Robin, murmuring an almost inaudible, “This takes me back,” before handing him his folded coat.

 

“Thank you,” he lamely returned as the bundle ended up in his hands before he promptly tried to fit it into his bag, watching his wife and daughter follow suit. “If I may ask, who do we have the pleasure of meeting?”

 

“Me? Why, I’m an Anna, of course,” she answered, pushing a hip out and placing a hand on it. “I think that should suffice?”

 

Robin’s Anna had started tapping at her chin. “Hold on,” she interjected as she leaned forward, as if to look closer at her counterpart. “There’s something about you that I can’t quite place.”

 

“You two look very similar, mom,” Morgan said, her eyes flickering between the two Annas.

 

“I mean, yes, but I feel like I’m looking into a mirror.”

 

The windsor coat Anna’s face faulted, her head cocking in slight frustration. “Probably because you are,” she said to herself as she brought one hand into the other and yanked a ring off, holding it in her thumb and index finger and held it out for them to see. “I’m your future you,” she said with a tone of finality.

 

A silence washed over the group until the younger Anna looked up with wide eyes. “Oh my gods, you don’t look like you’ve aged a day!”

 

“I had my sneaking suspicions,” Robin said before being swatted on the arm by Morgan.

 

“You didn’t know either, father.” Morgan then quickly brought her hand to her chin to think for a moment, before bringing her hand down into her other palm. “Wait, if you’re the older one of mom here, then are you my mother? My actual mother?” The older Anna only answered with a wistful smile and a soft nod. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you, but mother—well, the younger one—and Lucina told me about you” She sniffed and rubbed her nose with the back of her hand. “Can I hug you?” She held her arms out, inviting the junior tactician into an embrace. “I, uh, barely know you, but this feels really nice.”

 

“I’ve had so many dreams of doing this again, dear,” she said in a low voice. It was small, but she could feel a hiccup come from her daughter as images of the first time she held Morgan ran through her mind. It wasn’t until the girl’s head was in the crook of her neck and the tears pressed into the older woman’s skin that she was brought back into the present. She softly patted the girl’s back, cooing at her. “I’ve missed you so much.”

 

Robin and Anna only watched, the merchant’s hand caught over her mouth as she witnessed the reunion. Her husband only responded with an arm across her shoulders and pulled her close.

 

By the time Morgan’s sobs eased, the four had started their walk down the sidestreets, with the occasional sniffle from the junior tactician. “My memories are still hazy,” she finally said, looking at her birth mother, and, despite the gloomy tone, she shared a mirthful grin. “I think I remember you, though.”

 

“That’s all I can ask for,” she returned as they came up on the apartments. “There’s someone else you need to meet, though.”

* * *

 

By the time the late afternoon rolled around, the three had eased into the constricted space of the older Anna’s apartment unit. They were immediately taken back to their time in Chon’sin, although some of the amenities like a temperature maintenance unit by the window or electronic lights proved strange yet convenient. Morgan had settled into bombarding her mother with questions about her childhood, bombastic reactions like “I did not do that!” followed by a heartful laugh from the older woman. Robin sat at the dining table writing in his books, the borrowed fountain pen proving to be very convenient; the inkwell he brought was still sealed, sitting in the bottom of his bag. The younger Anna, when she wasn’t looking up to see her time-displaced daughter reconnecting with her birth mother, finished up some pages in her ledger, accounting for the time and money they’ll spend in their stay.

 

The four had been taken out of their stir at the sound of the lock turning, the door opening to reveal another ponytailed red head, slightly sweaty and breathing heavy. Her black blazer had been thrown over a shoulder while she hefted a heavy black bag. Stumbling inside, she threw her keys into a bowl and used her own feet to push at the heels of her shoes to pry them off. She then walked into the hallway leading to the bedrooms before stopping, walking backwards into the main room.

 

“Wha-?” she said, letting her bag drop to the floor. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates at the sight before her: a white-haired man sitting at the dining table with a collection of books in-progress, a red-haired girl wearing the same things as him sitting with her mother on the sofa, and, finally, another woman, not unlike her mother and her Auntie Frostie, sitting on the end dressed in the outfit she saw the day before. “Um, hi.”

 

The white-haired man rose, followed by the trickster, approaching the gymnast. “So, you’re Kasumi?” he asked tentatively.

 

“Yeah. Um, you sort of fit the image of who my dad is, at least from what mama’s told me.”

 

He lamely nodded. “Um, I am your father, sort of. I’m the past version of him, sort of—well, an alternate version—we haven’t actually had—” He flinched from being elbowed.

 

“What he meant to say was we’re from another timeline,” the younger Anna said. “Long story cut short, a bunch of kids showed up from what would’ve been our future, and now we’re watching over Morgan there.” The girl sitting next to her mother promptly waved at the now-confused high schooler. “We haven’t had either of you, but it’s really nice to finally meet you, Kasumi.”

 

Kasumi stood with the younger versions of her parents, stunned. “You’re… You’re really pretty, younger mom,” she lamely said, then turning her attention to the tactician. “And you’re… Big.”

 

“That’s all you have to say to your old man?” he returned, only to be elbowed again.

 

“Tone down the dad-ness until we actually have them,” his wife whispered. “Well, I’m sure you have questions of your own?”

* * *

“Wait, so you actually know a Chrom?”

 

“That’s correct,” he answered, matching the high schooler’s enthusiasm. The questioning had been more sided towards learning what she can from her father, despite the difference in the worlds they’ve originated from.

 

“Is he actually a Mirage, though?” she asked, leaning forward in anticipation of his answer.

 

Morgan leaned forward, too. “A ‘Mirage’?”

 

Their mother pinched the bridge of her nose. “Kassy, Mirages aren’t real.”

 

“Auntie Frostie told me they are!”

 

The younger Anna was taken aback. “Wait, who’s Auntie Frostie?”

 

Her older counterpart returned a sigh. “She’s the other Anna I work with at Hee Ho Mart. Wears a mask. Avoid her.”

 

“Well, I don’t know about these ‘Mirages’,” Robin answered with an awkward chuckle. “He’s definitely a bit of an enigma, though.”

 

“Tell me!”

 

“Let’s start with the oranges.”

* * *

 

Night had taken the apartment as Robin and Anna retired to the futon set up in the main room. Kasumi offered her sister a futon in her bedroom, which the junior tactician graciously accepted.

 

“I know you’re right there, but it’s still so hard to believe you’re actually my sister,” Morgan sheepishly admitted. “I half expected you to barge in and talk my ear off on finances.”

 

“Hey, for the record I’m always blowing my money on snacks,” Kasumi returned from the edge of her bed, undoing the ribbon from her ponytail and letting red hair cascade along her shoulders. “And you’re one to talk, talking my ear off on those ‘tactics’ of yours.”

 

“Don’t think I didn’t notice you actually being interested in them, though!” the older sister said, the two sharing a laugh afterwards.

 

“Guess we got everything from dad, huh?” The two sat in a bit of silence until she dropped down onto the floor at her bedside. “So you actually got to meet him? Our actual dad?”

 

“Yeah,” Morgan simply answered, looking at the hands in her lap. “Y’know, he wishes he could’ve seen you grow up.”

 

Kasumi nodded at that. “I can imagine.”

 

“It’s really nice meeting more family, though!”

 

“It always is. Are you gonna be staying here, with mom?”

 

Morgan shook her head. “No, I’ve still got my duties in Ylisse, but I’ll admit that I’m already planning the next Outrealm trip, which means you’ll be seeing me often.”

 

“Just us hanging out?”

 

“Exactly!” she answered, jumping in place. “Speaking of, what are we gonna do for my birthday?”

 

“Huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... I realized I can't jump into the Morgan-centric one proper without a bit of lead-up. Also, the previous chapter takes place two days before Morgan's b-day, and the three show up the day before, so I felt that needed some telling.
> 
> And, yes, the next chapter will be Morgan's birthday-related (if my plans do work out!)


	5. Rain Check (Part 3) - Cashing it In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kasumi spends the day with her older sister while also debating the quirks of dimension-hopping.

Sunday morning rolled around, and while Kasumi had gotten up early for an one-hour jog, her older sister was still asleep and splayed out on the futon, shirt ridden up to above her belly button as she absently scratched at her side. The two Annas cooked up a storm in the small kitchen as the elder taught the younger all of the recipes she picked up as Kasumi grew up. Robin, with his abysmal cooking ability, had opted for sitting in the main room as he read the local newspaper, putting his ability of reading the Chon’sin language to the test.

 

By the time the gymnast returned and was changing out of her running attire, the junior tactician was finally sitting up from where she lay, yawning as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. “Good morning, sis,” she mumbled, barely getting the last word out.

 

“Good morning to you too, Morgan,” she greeted while facing a mirror, absently throwing some folded clothes onto her older sister’s lap.

 

“Wha-what’s this?”

 

“Clothes you’ll be borrowing,” Kasumi answered as she pulled on a black turtleneck. “The two of us are going out since it’s your birthday and all that.”

 

Morgan simply blinked as her mind caught up. “Oh-hohoh, yeah, it is!” The aroma from outside of the room finally met her nose. “Hey, what smells good?”

 

The younger sister paused her once over of her dressing. “Mom, well, both of them, are making breakfast.”

 

“Oh, sweet!” she exclaimed, also leaping to her feet. “I’m hungry!”

 

Kasumi let out a mild sigh as a gentle smile crept on her face, watching Morgan bolt out of the room.

* * *

“So, where are we going, anyways?” the junior tactician asked, still tugging at her clothes and adjusting to them. She was given a purple and black striped t-shirt with v-neck, a white windbreaker that ended just above her knees, finished with tight grey corduroys and black Purcells, the latter two not quite agreeing to her. “Geez, you actually wear these?”

 

“Well, I’m not letting you wear patterned pants and knee-high boots, sis,” she half-answered, looking at the noted ideas on her phone. She had jotted down going to Ginza and blowing a lot of money on excellent sushi, visiting Akihabara and just buying whatever things her sister might have found cool, or even watch a show at the planetarium, but she concluded that sticking with nearby Shibuya was better for getting food, entertainment, and gifts all in one go. That said, something was nagging at the back of her head.

 

“How old are you, Morgan?” The fact that her sister didn’t give her an answer right away concerned her; the fact that she had her hand on her chin in thought was even worse for the high schooler. Then came the _hmmm_.

 

“I don’t know, seventeen?” Morgan answered after a solid minute of contemplating.

 

Kasumi’s jaw felt like it had unhinged, dropped in shock over her sister’s uncertainty. “What do you mean by that?”

 

She simply shrugged, not appearing bothered, and brought up a hand in front of her. “Lucina told me I’m supposed to be younger than her by at least a year, and she turned twenty-two before I left.” She counted off one finger. “Kjelle said I’m supposed to be older than her by six years, but she also said she’s currently seventeen.” Two fingers were counted off. “Laurent said we were born in the same year, but he’s twenty-four.” Three fingers were raised. “Then mom and dad, the younger ones, said I look around sixteen to seventeen-ish.” Four fingers were out. “And then there’s the amnesia, so I don’t really know myself.” Her thumb had joined the other fingers in being fully extended.

 

“How… How does this even happen?”

 

Morgan brought her hand to her chin again to contemplate. “Apparently Laurent showed up in the other world early, and I’m assuming the same happened for some of us, so I guess I just showed up late. Doesn’t explain why I might be five years younger than Lucina, though.” She merely shrugged. “It doesn’t really bother me. I mean, I’m still your older sister, right?”

 

Kasumi was surprised at Morgan’s revelation, just the simple notion of them being sisters as they were making sense to her. “Yeah, although I think mom, the older one, will be surprised when the past-parents tell them the same thing,” she simply said, not knowing where to go from that topic.

 

“Oh, do you think there’ll be a crossed out twenty-one on my cake?”

* * *

The trip to the arcade had been a surprisingly successful endeavor, despite Morgan’s repeated failure at the shooting game.

 

“Whoo, I’m still not used to shooting things faster than a bow,” she said, wiping sweat from her brow as they exited. “I’m really working up a sweat, though!”

 

“There’s a convenience store nearby, we could grab a drink.” Kasumi turned left before cocking her head back at the people crowding around a man with a purple suit in front of the place, proceeding to turn back around in the direction of the street. “Oh, that’s very inconvenient.”

 

“I don’t know if it’s okay to label your entire store a ‘convenience store’,” Morgan said as she followed her younger sister.

 

“They’re very convenient, trust me.”

 

“Well, I mean, the other one’s very busy out, what if we were a hundred meters away—” The two had just passed the corner bookstore when the blue and white banner of Hee Ho Mart came into view. Morgan scrambled back to view past the arcade, and came back to look at the store in front of her. “There’s a convenience store,” she said, pointing in the direction of the crowded one before pointing at the one in front of them, “And there’s a convenience store.”

 

“See?”

 

“Okay, you’re right, it is pretty convenient.” They approached the doors only for Morgan to step back a little to look at the sign. “I’m sorry, Hee Ho Mart, for doubting you.”

* * *

Stepping into the frigid interior of the store, one of the clerks almost climbed over the counter to wave at the sisters. “Hello-ho! Welcome to Hee Ho Mart!”

 

“Hey, Auntie Frostie!” Kasumi greeted, almost bouncing to the corner counter.

 

“This is Auntie Frostie?” Morgan asked, eyeing the masked clerk. She caught a glimpse of her sister heading for glass doors embedded into the wall.

 

“Very much hee-so!” the Anna answered. “Just a quick visit-ho?”

 

Kasumi returned with two bottles of Amrita Soda, standing them on the counter. “Just picking up some drinks, worked up a sweat at the arcade.”

 

“I’ll check these hee-sodas for you, then!” She brought up a price scanner, hitting the barcodes on the labels. “Will you also be redeeming any melmarks-ho?”

 

“Sorry Auntie Frostie, but we need to dash.”

 

“Alright, that’ll be 1800 yen-ho!”

* * *

The final stop was at Yongen-Jaya, just a quick train stop away. Walking into the sidestreets the two passed by a few closed up places before arriving at Cafe Leblanc, waffs of roasted coffee beans and spices emanating from the quaint restaurant.

 

“Oh, it already smells so good!” Morgan said, almost drooling. “Let’s go in!” The sisters entered into an almost-empty place, an older man standing behind the counter reading a small novel, his mouth fixed into a sort-of scowl. Kasumi swore she spotted another person in the small kitchen past the shelves upon shelves of coffee beans. The stained glass lamps over each of the booths softly illuminated the beige tables and olive leather seats, in contrast to the uncovered bulbs over the dark chestnut bar countertop with red leather-seat chairs. The news was on, although set to a barely audible. “800 yen for curry and coffee,” Morgan slowly mumbled to herself. “Is that a good deal?”

 

“Oh, hey,” the man greeted, his face shifting into a practiced ambivalence, tucking the novel under the counter. “What can I do for you two?”

 

Kasumi opened her mouth to speak before her older sister cut her off. “Fie, can we get two curries and coffees?”

 

Both the man and her sister were taken aback before a low chuckle rolled out, a soft smile now on his face. “Getting right to business, huh? I like you.” He turned in the direction of the kitchen. “Hey kid, plate up two curries.” A soft affirmative was returned over the low volume of the television program. “I’ll start on the coffee. Sit anywhere you’d like.”

 

As soon as the man moved to grab the kettles, the sisters tucked into the bar, Kasumi intentionally sitting by the rotary phone lest her older sister’s curiosity bring her to fumble with it. “I was trying to cover for you all day, but you should’ve told me you knew Japanese,” she said looking at her sister.

 

“Japanese? Nay, I don’t know that,” Morgan said, remaining in the tongue she used to belt out the order. “Tis simply is the language of Chon’sin.”

 

Kasumi had to bite back a laugh over how antique-sounding it was because, knowing as much as she was able to learn about the world she came from, it was an actual language still in use. “Well, that’s fine, Morgan, but Japanese doesn’t use phrasing like—”

 

“Here you go, you two,” the man said as he placed two cups in front of them. “Oh, before I forget, I’m Sojiro Sakura, but folks call me ‘Boss’. Enjoy.”

 

“Thank you so much!” Morgan said, with Kasumi nodding in turn. Tucking into a sip, Morgan closed her eyes and hummed in delight. “Oh, this so smooth...”

 

Kasumi found herself following suit in trying the coffee black, the taste being surprisingly favorable to her. “It’s kind of nutty…”

 

“That’s Cuban Crystal Mountain,” Sojiro said as he stood behind the counter. “With how enthusiastic you are about being here, young lady, I figured you would need something to bring you back down to earth.”

 

“Thank you, Boss,” Morgan replied, taking another sip from the ceramic cup. Soon enough, the worker from the kitchen brought over two plates of curry, the rich, almost chocolatey, sauce peppered with vegetables and meat clashing with the pure white rice being a delight to the sisters’ eyes.

 

“Wait, senpai?” Kasumi interjected, bringing her older sister out of her daze.

 

“Huh, what’s a ‘senpai’?”

 

“You two know each other?” Sojiro said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You know what, take over for me, kid. You need to get some practice with customers. I’ll just take a quick smoke break.” Before any answer could come out, the older man had already taken a pack of cigarettes from under the counter and exited the store.

 

Placing the two plates of food, the young man looked at the two red-haired women. “I’m Ren Amamiya,” he said, nodding once. “We’ve already met, Miss Yoshizawa, so may I ask your name?” He turned his attention to the third person in the room.

 

“Oh, I’m Morgan—” she briefly answered before clearing her throat. “I mean, tis I, Mor—”

 

Kasumi couldn’t help but laugh. “M-Morgan, Ren knows english, you don’t have to speak ‘Chon’sin’s tongue’.”

 

“Oh! Well, I’m Morgan,” she said, sticking her hand out with Ren immediately shaking it. “I’m Kasumi’s older sister.”

 

“A pleasure to meet you,” he returned. “Are you visiting, perhaps from this ‘Chon’sin’?”

 

“Yes—I mean, no—I mean, I am visiting! Well, it’s my birthday today...?”

 

“Your birthday?” His smile shifted from courteous to debonair, bringing a blush on Kasumi’s cheeks. “Those are always special days; is it okay for me to ask how old you’ll be?”

 

Morgan remained unfettered, only momentarily thinking the question over. “I’ll be... eighteen?” she answered, but seeing the concern hit Kasumi’s red face caused her to panic internally. “Yeah, eighteen! I’ll be eighteen.”

 

Ren had already taken in the two’s various reactions, turning his attention to his underclassman. “Small world, huh?”

 

“I didn’t know you worked here,” she returned with a small voice, almost shrinking in on herself.

 

“Actually, I live here.”

 

“Wait, you live here—”

 

“Whoa, that’s so cool!” Morgan interjected, almost climbing over the counter and causing the ceramic to shake. “I bet you eat and drink this stuff all the time!”

 

“Hey, Morgan, this isn’t—”

 

Ren’s deep laugh reverberated throughout the store, causing the two to wind back a little. “It’s alright,” he said, leaning back in place slightly. “I like to think of myself as an open book, although you two should really at least have the first bite before the curry gets cold.”

* * *

“That sounds unfair,” Morgan said, her lips in a slight pout. “Even the rich people at home can’t get away like that.”

 

“That’s just how it’s happened here,” Ren returned as he patted his hands dry after bringing the plateware to the sink. “Still, it hasn’t been all bad; I’ve made new friends, I’m already doing better than the entire Shujin student body in academics—”

 

“And you’re a fiend with words,” Kasumi added, bringing up a hand over her cheek in anticipation for the next thing to bring forth a blush.

 

“Well, I was gonna say that you have flexibility, but I have reach.” He paused for a second before leaning forward, as if to divulge a secret. “And I have a cat in my bag.”

 

Kasumi’s lips pursed while Morgan became intrigued. “You’ve got secrets?” the tactician asked.

 

“The secret being he has an actual cat in his bag,” the gymnast murmured as meows rang down the stairs.

 

“Woah, really?”

 

“We—we should really get going,” Kasumi said, having to drag her sister out as an argument between man and cat ensued.

* * *

The two made their way towards the apartment with some bags from shopping in the Underground Mall (after shaking off a very insistent Kosei student, and getting some pointers from an eager Ann Takamaki). While the sisters had fun in their outing to Shibuya and Yongen, Morgan’s expression had been somewhat forlorn. “Sorry if I was a bit of a pain today.” she finally said, breaking the silence.

 

Kasumi had been taken aback by the sudden statement. “Huh? What do you mean?”

 

“Well, I’m sure it must have been a hassle dragging me around the city.”

 

“Morgan—I…” Kasumi found herself lost for words, remaining quiet for a few seconds. “I had fun today. Really.”

 

The tactician simply shook her head, tucking her hand into the windbreaker’s pocket. “You were probably embarrassed to hear me talk to those guys in the cafe.”

 

Kasumi sucked in a deep breath, thinking her words over. “I’ll be frank, you sounded like you were performing in a play,” she admitted, watching her older sister absently nod. “But, it was really cool seeing you compose yourself and order food for us. Really.”

 

“You’re pulling my leg.”

 

“You were straight to the point, Sakura-san really liked that!” she said, bouncing in front of the other girl and flashing a big, toothy smile, making the two stop. “And, besides, you’re my sister, you can never be a pain. And if you can impress a grump like him...”

 

Morgan could already feel a smile creeping onto her face. “Thanks,” she was finally able to get out, wiping her eyes with the back of a hand. “Hey, do you think you could teach me some Japanese?”

 

“Only if you can teach me some phrases from Chon’sin,” Kasumi returned before going back to her sister’s side as they continued their walk back.

 

“Hmm, do you think they’ve had to cross out the frosted numbers on my cake?” Morgan asked as they passed a school.

 

“If we run back, we can find out soon!” Kasumi pressed onto one foot and broke into a sprint, the bags in her hands flopping about.

 

“Hey, you can’t run off without me! It’s my cake!” Morgan yelled out, running after her younger sister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Morgan-centric chapter!
> 
> This was just a bit of fun to write, having Morgan interact with little sister Kasumi (while also keeping Kasumi open-ended enough to account for any other characterization that P5R will give her come October).
> 
> Some more references, too, like the 'convenience store' bit.
> 
> (Do the Japanese tax beverages and food? Please let me know!)
> 
> Also, I'm definitely throwing time-traveled ages out of the window here, so if you're comparing raw valuables like I tried to before writing the lampshading part in this chapter, I'm sorry.


	6. A Lonely Pawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the girls’ absence, Robin takes up an offer of chess from a man in the park.

Despite his general ineptitude when it came to cooking, Robin knew he was at least competent at making desserts; the fried fig cakes he made for Stahl one year turned out excellent, even Anna had been surprised. Of course, having Morgan around at the time to nag him constantly on when to take out the little morsels had been a huge help, but he had experience. He had been very hands-off, sitting to the side at first reading the local paper, then watching a cook on the television make an omelette, when he decided to offer his assistance in at least the cake batter, only to be met with his wife, both present and future counterparts, giving one another uneasy glances until they asked him to start with cracking eggs.

 

He had been quickly kicked out of the apartment for smashing the eggs on both the edge of the bowl and on the counter.

 

 _Might as well take the chance to learn this city_ , he thought to himself as he walked past a park only to spot an older man, with snow-white hair and an ivory beard, turning a chess piece in his fingers seemingly out of boredom. Judging from the other pieces standing in their respective pieces, it seems he was openly inviting others to play with him, although the other people in the park paid him no mind. _At the very least, he can’t be like Virion_. As Robin approached the man, his head turned to see the approaching tactician.

 

“A strategic mind?” he immediately asked, placing the bishop down onto the board. “It’s been a while since anyone’s taken interest in this game.”

 

Taking a seat across from the older man, he immediately noticed the man’s features: what he thought was age was really signs of malnourishment, with gaunt cheeks and sunken eyes. Faint, almost invisible, scars peppered his skin; the man had been in one too many incidents, accidental or otherwise. “Can I ask who I will be playing this game with?” Robin asked as he adjusted his seating, almost lamenting getting himself kicked out.

 

The older man smiled; it was clear to the grandmaster that it held wistfulness, especially with lidded eyes betraying regret. “Just a man who wishes he could’ve lived a better life,” he confirmed, wrapping his fingers around the rook before bringing it up and down to tap it in its square. “I think it’s appropriate for you to do the same, no? Introducing yourself, I mean.”

 

Robin was caught off guard by the man’s interrogative nature before collecting himself, placing his fingers around a pawn. “I’m Robin, but I’m not from around here, though,” he answered; for a second, he thought he saw surprise in his opponent’s brow. “I suppose I can start.”

 

“Oh, go ahead, you’re the guest here.” He brought his hand forward, palm up, and gestured towards the pieces.

 

The first handful of moves were made in silence, the light clacking of wood on wood echoing throughout the park, only to be drowned out by the distant shouts from playing children. Soon, pawns were being eliminated only for the offending piece to be swept up by another piece set up for the move; both men did not seem surprised, and soon were letting the game go without another thought. Robin found himself slightly disturbed by how transparent the man’s strategies seemed, although it continually opened him up for a counterattack that he really should have seen coming.

 

Soon, they were whittled down to just their king and queen pieces, deftly reminding him of the one time he ever got close to beating Virion.

 

“I think we know how this ends,” the older man abruptly said before knocking his pieces over. “One of us uses our queen to rid the other, and the king has no moves left. Simple as that.” A chuckle bubbled out of his throat, surprising Robin. “I played with this kid years ago, before he had to leave for a town in the country. Silver-haired, bright minded. Demanded he could still beat me when we ran into this situation, despite it being my turn with his queen in my queen’s sights.”

 

“Probably not the first time you’ve been here, though, am I right?”

 

“Heh, no.” Silence washed over the two of them until the man began replacing the pieces, returning them to their spaces. “I suppose you have many questions.”

 

“I’d like to start with a guess, first,” Robin started, joining in returning the chess pieces. “A friend told me there’s a lot you learn about a man when you duel him, whether through physical or intellectual means.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“So, and pardon me if this comes off as rude, but,” he continued, placing the final rook down in finality. “I firmly believe that you might be me.”

 

Any trace of amusement, whether feigned or not, soon left the man’s face. Letting a sigh drag out of his lungs, he looked up. “My name is Robin, I will admit,” he finally said, his eyes finally taking on a semblance of seriousness.

 

“I thought so,” the younger Robin said, making eye contact. The two contested the other’s stare until they both started to crack, breaking into a slight smirk. “You were thinking of Virion the whole time, weren’t you.”

 

“Who else?” he returned before the two broke into laughter.

* * *

 

By the time the two had collected themselves, the park was now occupied by a different set of families, parents watching their children play all the same. “What’s your business here, anyway?”

 

“I’m here for my daughter’s birthday. Morgan, she’s turning eighteen,” he answered, placing a pawn one space forward.

 

“You look a little young for a girl turning that age,” his counterpart said, bringing his pawn two spaces forward.

 

“I don’t suppose you have kids of your own?” he inquired as he ghosted his hand over his pieces. Looking up at the older man, he watched him ponder the question with furrowed brow.

 

“Been a long time since I’ve seen them, not that I didn’t want to.” Another clack of a wood piece on the wood board. “I wasn’t myself for a long time.”

 

“I’m sure you want to see them again.”

 

A wistful smile formed on his face, a hand coming to softly pinch his temple. “You have no idea.” His eyes flicked up, making contact with his younger counterpart. “I’ve had this recurring dream where I’d meet Morgan again, but just a bit older, y’know? It’s strange though, it’s just her, not her sister, not their mother, just Morgan.”

 

“I think you might’ve actually met her,” he said to himself, but not quietly enough as the other man’s eyebrow quirked in confusion. Robin couldn’t help but chuckle at this, collecting himself as he moved another piece forward. “Forgive me for that outburst. I have to ask, though, who was your Morgan’s sibling?”

 

“Her name’s Kasumi.”

 

The younger tactician proceeded to topple his king before rising from his seat. “I’m afraid I’ll have to cut this short, but I must get going,” he said in a hurry, smoothing out his trousers. “I do think you’ll find your strength once more.”

 

“Huh?!” The older man could only gawk at his hasty counterpart. “What do you mean by that, you cryptic bas—?!”

 

Throwing his head over his shoulder, he yelled, “Your bonds!” The sounds of pieces being messily swept into a box followed by booted feet stomping after him brought a chortle out of his throat. “Remember what Chrom would say?”

 

“That is not how the saying goes!”

* * *

 

By the time he had caught up, Robin found himself out of breath and with hands on knees as his younger counterpart practically bounce up the stairs of an apartment complex. He cursed his age and lack of proper care, particularly in nutrition, and began stumbling towards the steps. “You’re… Not telling me the whole story, are you?”

 

“The pieces I have are circumstantial, but I think they’re part of the same puzzle,” he answered, watching the man slowly make his way to him. “But I have no reason to believe things aren’t lining up as I think they should.”

 

“Was I always this vague…?” he said to himself as he followed the younger Robin, stopping at the door.

 

Leaning forward to knock with the back of knuckle and pulling away, he leaned over to the slouching elder. “Fix your stance,” he whispered.

 

“Huh, why?” Before he could get an answer, the door opened, revealing a young red-haired woman, prompting him to go ramrod straight.

 

“Oh, you’re back already? Tokyo bore you that much—?” she asked before noticing the other man. “...Who’s this?” The younger Robin brought his mouth to her ear, whispering something inaudible to his counterpart. “Oh! Uh, stay here, sir, there’s someone you need to meet!”

 

The pair walked back into the apartment, leaving the older man to stand alone, dumbstruck and wondering what in the world was going on only for another red-haired woman to come out, this time dressed in clothes he’d come to associate with this world. He opened his mouth to speak only to be met by a quick fist to the gut, causing his knees to buckle and forcing him to hunch over.

 

“That’s for leaving us behind,” she quietly said, her hand at her side, clenched to the point where her knuckles were white.

 

“I distinctly recall not promising I’d come back to you,” he mumbled from the floor, his hands clenched over his solar plexus. “Just that life would be better for you.”

 

Anna closed her eyes, her hand slightly relaxing. “I thought I’d be angrier with you,” she said with a bitter tone, kneeling down and meeting his eyes. “You have no idea how many times I’ve stayed up over the years, just thinking about this huge tirade I would’ve given you if I’d seen your face again.” Her eyes became somber as she brought a hand to caress his cheek. “Frankly, I’m just confused about what I should be feeling.”

 

“Pity would be a good start,” he said, more to himself as he rubbed at his sore stomach. “Not that I didn’t deserve this.”

 

“No, no, I shouldn’t have done that.” She tucked her legs under herself as she scooted in front of him, looking him over. “Where have you been?”

 

“I’ve been here,” he answered slowly, feeling Anna’s gaze all over him. “All over this city, I mean. Simply woke up one day and this was where I ended up. I just didn’t think you were here, too.”

 

“Well, I’ve been here for the past thirteen-fourteen years. If I’d known you were here, I would’ve looked for you, but I’ve had to take care of Kasumi this whole time—” She looked directly at his eyes. “How long have you been here, anyways?”

 

“Six years? Seven? I don’t know.”

 

“Well, it certainly looks like you haven’t been eating well since you got here,” she replied with concern, caressing his cheek once more as she felt its gauntness.

 

“I’ve been surviving, mainly off of change and convenience stores.”

 

“Which ones do you go to?”

 

“Mainly the Triple Seven in Shibuya.”

 

“Oh, well, I work at Hee Ho Mart, the one past the bookstore,” she said, waving a pointed hand as if providing directions. “Small world, huh?”

 

He answered with a small nod. “I’m just glad I can see you again.”

 

“I am too, and of all Outrealms.” Her mirthful expression turned to a serious one as she stood up. “But first, you need to shower and eat. The last thing I want is for the girls to see their old man in this sorry state.”

 

“Already nagging me, huh?” he asked, only to be answered by a slap to his rear, forcing a sheepish grin on his face as she slapped at his shoulders to herd him into the apartment.

 

**Chapter 6.5: A Homely Pawn**

 

“I… Don’t eat like that, do I?” Robin asked his wife as they sat on the couch, watching their older counterparts catch up. The older tactician, now having bathed and in some clean clothes, was quickly picking alternating bites of beef and rice, chopsticks occasionally leaving a grain of rice stuck to the side of his mouth only for the older Anna to swipe it off.

 

The initial silence her younger counterpart gave him was, to say the least, concerning. “Sometimes.”

 

“And you don’t say anything?”

 

“Well, I just assumed that’s what the Shepherds were all about, and there’s certainly messier eaters in that motley crew,” she answered, looking at him from the corner of her eye. “And Morgan does it too, so I guess it runs in the family.”

 

“I’m supposed to be the grandmaster of Ylisse, aren’t I supposed to have some standards?”

 

“Oh, you can eat elegantly when the situation calls for it, but that—” she pointed at the chatting couple at the dining table. “—is just how you are. It’s fine.”

 

The two sat in silence until the older Anna swiped off another grain of rice from the older Robin’s mouth. “At least I don’t need to be cleaned after.”

 

“Well, we certainly don’t eat rice often, but I do actually do that for you, too. You just don’t notice.”

 

“... Seriously? You actually put up with this?”

 

“Hey, when I asked you to marry me, I figured with the lives we ran we’d end up doing some weird stuff. A messy eater is nothing.” The two sat in silence, continuing to observe their older counterparts. “Although, if we’re talking weird, I gotta wonder if she keeps bags of coin in the bed.”

 

“Anna, don’t—”

 

“I mean, we’re the same person, right? I’m sure she enjoys the sounds when—”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kept you waiting, huh?
> 
> Sorry for the lack of updates, I’ve been uninspired until I saw a really good piece of FE:A Anna fanart. Frankly, it was even a miracle I did those initial 5 chapters as quickly as I did. Chapters will come less frequently now, but I still love writing towards this dynamic so do expect more in the future.
> 
> Old-man Robin, though! Kasumi gets her actual dad!
> 
> … I write these on impulse, really.

**Author's Note:**

> The whole headcanon came from a friend’s idea that the Hee Ho Mart clerk is Kasumi’s mom (because of red hair+ponytail) and then it culminated in the idea that the clerk was the same Anna in Awakening (because her starting class is Trickster). I expect this to be very niche, considering it’s a mashing together of three games, one of which isn’t even out so it’ll be mostly about Anna and a depiction of a young Kasumi that will attempt to be as open-ended as possible for her future canon characterization in P5R.


End file.
